Fighting A Way Back
by sia023
Summary: Ginny is attacked while Harry is on an assignment. When he rushes to her aid, he finds out that not only does he have to fear for the life of his wife, but also that of their unborn child.
1. Distance, Misery & Pain

This is the first story I have actually planned out ... so if you like it, there are multiple chapters to follow from this :)  
>As always, I sadly do not own or are not affiliated with any of the characters of Harry Potter<br>Please review :) xox

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><p>Ginny Potter had been at the Prophet for what felt like forever. Ever since Harry had left on his big, secret Auror assignment a couple of days before, Ginny had taken to putting in longer hours than she usually did to keep herself from both worrying to death and allowing the silence in their house in Godric's Hollow to remind her how much she missed Harry. As much as she understood how important it was to Harry for him to be allowed to do the work he did, Ginny couldn't help but despise the job even more every time he left her. She had long since moved past her insecurities about Harry having left her all those years ago, but she couldn't help but be reminded of her fifth year when he broke it off to go gallivanting around with Ron and Hermione, every time Harry walked out the door on an assignment.<p>

'_Pull yourself together Weasley!' _

Ginny was not the kind of person, or wife for that matter who was going to sit at home desperately waiting for any man, not even Harry Potter.

She was quickly awakened from her thoughts by a tapping at the window near her desk. The source of the noise had been a tawny barn owl that she did not recognise. Curious as to what the owl had come to deliver her; Ginny quickly unlatched the window and allowed the owl to swoop in and drop the letter upon her unfinished article on the Harpies pre-season training regime, and flew off back out of the open window.

Ginny inspected the letter and recognised instantly the untidy scrawl on the front. It was from Harry.

_Ginny,_

_I'm sorry for not being able to contact you earlier –owls have been scarce and it was only by chance that I was able to acquire this one._

_The assignment is going well. We have nearly done what we are meant to have done, so I should be home soon._

_I miss you more every minute I am away from you. Stay safe Gin, I cannot live without you. I'll be home as soon as I can_

_Love Harry xox_

Ginny smiled. Although his letter didn't say it specifically, Ginny knew Harry well enough to tell when he was miserable. The briefness of his explanation about the assignment, while he never did give away specifics, hinted that his heart wasn't in it as much as it usually was. _'Well at least I'm not the only one'_.

Glad she had at least heard from Harry, Ginny decided to call it a night and head home. Carefully she gathered up her article and stacks of research putting them into her bag and getting up from the desk. She tapped the lamp on the desk with her wand to turn it off and turned to leave the office.

"Night Greaves", she called to the after-hours security wizard as she made her way to the apparition point.

She walked began to walk the distance between the Prophet and the alleyway that was bewitched so muggles would not see wizards and witches apparating in and out. She had walked this path countless times before, but something seemed different. She had the unsettling feeling of being followed however she shook it off as just tiredness and general angst about not have Harry waiting for her at home and continued on.

She hadn't made it halfway when a cloaked figure jumped her, covering her mouth with his free hand and dragging her into another dark alley off the street.

Ginny tried to fight against her unknown attacker but was held tightly by her wrists. It seemed another cloaked figure had appeared, as this new attacker began to hit her with curses and jinxes she could not hear.

Just as she was about to succumb to the pain that was reaching intolerable levels, a man yelled in the distance and the two attackers let her body crumple to the gravel before disapparating quickly.

The last conscious thought she had was that she wished Harry was her to save her, just this once.

NnNnNnNnNn

Harry was cold, he felt as if he hadn't had a decent shower in forever and above all he missed his wife more than anything.

Harry didn't want to admit it, but the 'novelty' of being an Auror was beginning to wear off. It was becoming increasingly difficult for him to leave Ginny and this assignment had given him more than enough time to consider whether or not this was something he wanted to continue to do. He knew if he quit he would feel as if he was failing, giving up, but on the other hand he felt he would gain so much more if he didn't always have to leave Ginny. His long assignments put unnecessary strain on their marriage and he would be damned if he allowed Ginny and him to move apart because of something he could have fixed. He supposed he would discuss it with Ginny when he got home.

'_Ginny ... Home ... Ginny'_

Harry yearned for this blasted assignment to be over so he could get back to his beautiful, sexy, _'... Stop it Potter! Not now!'_

Before his daydream could reach potentially embarrassing heights, a popping noise outside the 'safe house-base' they were staying in draw Harry back to reality.

Harry knew the wards put up around the house would only allow Aurors working on the case with the proper clearance and Kingsley himself through (Harry himself had cast the wards). Even so, ever the cautious person, he still drew his wand, ready to stun any unwanted foe that may have been lurking outside.

Opening the door carefully, Harry was relieved to see that the tall figure of Kingsley, the Minister for Magic, drawing himself to his full height and dusting off what appeared to be fluff from his robes.

"Kingsley!" Harry all but barked out, "What are you doing here? I don't remember scheduling a meeting until Friday, and especially not one at this hour. I don't think any of the trainees are even awake."

In the time that Harry had begun to question Kingsley's sudden appearance, Kingsley had made his way into the small living room. Only now did Harry notice the expression on Kingsley's face. The man looked more tired and grave then Harry had ever seen him, at least not since the war.

"Harry ... I'm not here for a meeting. I'm not sure how to tell you this ... something's happened ..."

"What's wrong with her? Is she okay?" Harry recognised the tone in Kingsley's voice all too well. It was the same tone he himself had used countless times when delivering bad news to families.

"Calm down Harry. She's alive. We're still not exactly sure what happened. She was leaving the Prophet earlier this evening and was attacked on her way to the apparition point. The after-hours night wizard Greaves or something found her in the gutter. We don't know who they were, but I assure you, we are working on it I promise you Harry."

"I ... I mean ... I need to see her", Harry couldn't begin to process the magnitude of what Kingsley had just said_. 'Someone had hurt Ginny, someone had hurt his beautiful, amazing wife, who would possibly?'_ She had been attacked while he had been sitting here. He had let her down, he had promised her the day he proposed and the day he married her that he would always be there to protect her and here her was, having failed her.

"Yes ... you do. I've come to relieve you until we can find a suitable replacement"

"I ... er ... thank you Kingsley ... I'll ... er ... just ..." Harry couldn't make full sentences as images of a dead Ginny began to fill his thoughts. He raced to the room that he had been occupying and gathered his things, shoving them carelessly into his old rucksack before darting back into the living room.

"She'll be alright Harry. We'll catch the people who did this, I promise you that"

"Yes ... umm ... thanks again Kingsley, I'll see you later"

Harry ran out to the small courtyard where he would be able to apparate and spun on the spot, appearing seconds later in front of the St. Mungo's visitors entrance. From here he walked as quickly as he could without actually running to the reception desk.

"Ginny Potter please. She was brought in here earlier tonight" Harry managed to blurt out as he tried to catch his breath.

"And you are?" the small witch behind the desk asked. She reminded him a lot of Hogwarts librarian Madame Pince. He hadn't much liked that witch, and he didn't think he would be fond of this one either.

"Her husband, Harry Potter"

"Ah yes ... came in looking particularly nasty. She's in Room 627 on the fourth floor 'Spell Damage'", she smiled cruelly up at him, but Harry hadn't noticed as he dashed towards the lifts and pushing rather harder than necessary the number four.

After what felt like years listening to the annoying, cheesy music that filled the lift, a 'ding' signalled that he had reached the fourth floor. He stumbled out of the lift and not caring that he was running now, made his way towards Room 627.

He knew he was in the right place when he saw various red-headed people, a certain bushy-haired brunette and a sleek long-haired blonde, sitting outside a door on uncomfortable plastic chairs.

Mrs. Weasley's head was lying on her husband's shoulder. Both parents had the same look of despair, angst and worry. Harry couldn't help but wonder if they too were wondering whether they were about to lose yet another family member. Ron's face was buried in his hands as Hermione, with her legs up on one chair and the rest of her body draped over Ron, snoozed in his lap. George was sleeping, though it did not look like a restful sleep. Both Charlie and Percy sat straight backed against the chairs, both not looking at anything in particular. Bill cradled Fleur in his arms as he tried to comfort her and himself.

Harry looked around at the various members of the Weasley family, his family. His heart could not bear to think what would happen to them, what would happen to him, if they did in fact lose Ginny.

Without acknowledging any of them, Harry pushed through the door. He was not at all prepared for the scene that would greet him when he entered.

His beautiful, lively, vibrant wife lay almost dead-like on the bed. Her loose fiery, red-hair was only just visible through the numerous layers of white bandage that covered it. Her usually porcelain-like face that adorned a few freckles was now full of red, angry cuts and blue to yellowing bruises all of which were at different stages of healing. The rest of her body, save her arms that thankfully didn't appear to have any visible signs of harm, was tightly tucked under the white and green hospital blanket, so Harry could not further assess whether she had any more injuries. The slow rising and falling of her chest was the only indication that she was alive.

Harry moved towards her, pressing a kiss lightly onto her forehead before conjuring a hard-backed chair, similar to the one the Weasley family were sitting on just outside, sat down and gently grabbed her hand in his.

His heart broke in absolute agony to see her like this. Hatred towards himself for not having been there to protect her and even more towards those who had attacked her caused tears to break down his face as he surrendered to his sobs.

"I am so sorry Gin. I will never forgive myself if you don't wake up. I promise I will catch whoever did this to you and make them pay. I need you to wake up ... please ... please Gin, I need you!"

Harry continued to whisper words of love and pleas for forgiveness throughout the night, praying for a miracle that would see his wife pull through.


	2. Blame, Heartache & Impossible Decisions

I have had some positive feedback about this story, but would love some more!  
>It is only by chance that I was able to complete this chapter so fast, so hopefully you like it (let me know either way, it would be much appreciated)<br>As always, I sadly do not own or are not affiliated with any of the characters of Harry Potter  
>Please review :) xox<p>

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><p>The first night Harry sat with Ginny had to have been one of the worst he had ever experienced. Nothing, not watching Cedric Diggory being killed in the graveyard, seeing Sirius falling through the veil, watching Snape hit Dumbledore with the killing curse or facing Voldemort in the forbidden forest compared to the utter feeling of hopelessness that Harry felt sitting at Ginny's beside. He felt like an utter failure as a husband. How could he have allowed Ginny to be left in harm's way? How could he have left on an assignment and risked her safety?<p>

Harry mulled over all his mistakes and failures into the early hours of the morning before falling in and out of sleep, where he had dreams of a dying Ginny.

He was shaken awake by a pair of motherly hands after only a couple of hours of solid sleep.

"Brought you some breakfast, love. Thought you could use it" Mrs. Weasley wheeled the bed table from the side of the room over and conjured up a tray of various muffins and scones and what appeared to be piping hot tea. Even at a miserable time like this, Mrs. Weasley could always be counted on to produce an excellent meal.

"Thanks Mrs. Weasley but I'm not really hungry" Harry's guilt that had been eating away inside of him all night had made his stomach churn and the sight of food made him feel ill.

"Nonsense Harry. You look almost as bad as Ginny. I don't suppose you've had anything decent since you left have you? Now eat, you'll be no good to Ginny when she wakes up if you're not well nourished." Mrs. Weasley flatly said before promptly pouring him a cup of tea, shoving it into Harry's hands and starting to butter him a scone. The sheer strength and determination of this woman and her resilience in the face of this desperate, almost dire situation astounded Harry. He could see where Ginny had gotten this trait from.

Harry sat in silence for the next couple of minutes, eating his scone obediently while Mrs. Weasley tended and fussed as best she could with Ginny.

"Arthur and I don't remember you coming last night dear" she commented nonchalantly, Harry supposing she only wanted to try and make conversation.

"Ummm ... just after midnight I think" Harry wasn't in the mood right now to talk. He couldn't begin to imagine what Mrs. Weasley thought of him. Did she blame him for this? He wouldn't be surprised if she did. In fact, he felt as if he deserved her anger and disgust.

"Harry ... Harry dear?"

It seemed Mrs. Weasley had been trying to get his attention for some time but because of his mental blaming, he had not noticed.

"Harry, you do know we don't blame you at all, right? I know you like to think yourself the reason for every bad thing that happens to people ... but this isn't your fault. Sometimes bad things just happen."

"But ... If she hadn't married me ... if I hadn't allowed myself to be associated with her ... if I hadn't left her on her own ... if only I had been there to protect her she wouldn't – "

"Stop it Harry. Ginny is more than capable of handling herself, you do both yourself and her a discredit to suggest otherwise. You love Ginny, she loves you, remember that"

He wasn't entirely convinced by Mrs. Weasley but he saw no use in trying to fight her on this.

"I'll be back later on, leave you two alone."

She kissed Ginny lovingly on the cheek and turned to leave but not before kissing Harry too on the head. Although Harry still felt responsible for Ginny's condition, he found comfort in the fact that at least Mrs. Weasley didn't completely hate him.

NnNnNnNnNn

Night began to fall on the room as the light that had previously flooded in dimmed. Harry had not left Ginny's side all day. Both Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had tried to urge him to go home for a couple of hours at least to shower but Harry remained. He couldn't admit it to them but he had the horrible feeling that if he left Ginny's side again, it would be the last time her would ever see her alive.

There had been no change in Ginny's condition. Although she hadn't worsened. She also hadn't started to show any signs of improvement. Harry had received an awfully long run down of the extent of Ginny's injuries for the head healer of her case, Healer Redden. He had make it quite plain that the curses and jinxes were attacking Ginny's immune and nerves systems in a way that had never been seen before. The healers were stumped as to what Ginny had been hit with and were working tirelessly to try and create counter curses that would reverse her condition. Her lack of improvement and the mystery behind her condition worried the healers and had caused them to feel that more extensive tests were warranted.

Harry was forced from the room while the tests were being conducted. He had thought that he had felt useless sitting by Ginny's beside but having to sit outside, waiting to find out what else was wrong with her was worse. He felt at least that if he could sit with her, he was hopefully comforting her in a small way.

A pair of dragging feet on the linoleum floor announced the arrival of Ron. He was carrying a lunch hamper that Harry recognised as one of Mrs. Weasley's. As much as he loved Mrs. Weasley as if she were his own mother, he could not stand the thought of being yet again ambushed and force fed more food.

"Mum made me bring you food. She says I have to stay and wait for you to eat some" Ron said without any greeting.

"Tell her thanks but no thanks. Not hungry" Harry mumbled back, not looking up.

"Whatever then, I'll just leave it, shall I?" Ron's tone surprised Harry. He had expected Ron to launch into a big lecture about how Harry had to keep his strength up for at least Ginny's sake. It was one of the many he had given to Harry when Ginny had been knocked unconscious by a bludger during her first season playing for the Harpies. She had been hospitalised for three-days, stuck in a similar bed. That Ron had been comforting, this Ron however seemed annoyed by the fact that he had been forced to come and bring Harry food.

Ron looked as if he was about to leave before suddenly deciding against it and turning back and facing Harry.

"You do realise this is your fault, don't you?"

Harry was so taken back by Ron's words that he had no idea how to respond to them.

"Ron ... I – "

"Save it Potter! If you hadn't been off doing whatever, you would have been here to protect her. In fact, it was probably your fault that she was targeted!"

"I know ... Ron you cannot begin to understand how sorr-"

"It'll be on you is she dies, you do realise that don't you?"

Even though Harry had been thinking of all the things Ron was now saying, hearing them out loud hurt him deeply, especially coming from his best friend. Did Ron not think that he did not already blame himself? Did he not think that if Harry could, he would have changed positions with Ginny in a heartbeat? Harry already hated and blamed himself enough, he sure as hell didn't need Ron to remind him.

"You seriously need to decided which is more important to you; your job, or my sister"

And with that, Ron turned and stormed off, leaving Harry feeling worse than he had before. He had stated to have reservations about being an Auror before he had learnt of Ginny's attack, but this whole ordeal had put into all into a dark perspective. Before marrying Ginny, being able to go out and catch the remaining death eaters and any others that threatened the peace he had so desperately fought for had been almost as important as Ginny herself. But now, all he wanted was for her to wake up and recover and never have to leave her side again. He didn't know yet if he would be able to return to the Auror department if Ginny died ... he didn't even know if he wanted to return if she got better. All he knew was that if it would mean Ginny was well again, he would give it up in a heartbeat to have her for even just one more day.

NnNnNnNnNn

An hour or so later Harry had drifted into an uneasy sleep. The fight with Ron still on his mind now also plagued his dreams of a dead Ginny that now included a running commentary of Ron blaming Harry for every bad thing that had ever happened to the Weasley family.

He awoke suddenly to the sound of muffled voices. Rubbing the sleep that had built up in his eyes, he looked around for the source of the sounds. He noticed three healers talking in hushed voices, all with grave looks on their faces. One of the healers had frizzy, unruly black hair that was kept off her face with a magenta headband. Another healer, a short plump looking witch, was holding a clipboard, continuously tapping it with her wand and shaking her head. A tall looking wizard that had a moustache that rivalled Uncle Vernon's, Harry recognised as Healer Redden.

Harry drew himself up quickly from the uncomfortable plastic chair he had been occupying, and ignoring his aching muscles, made her way over to the healers.

"Ahem ..." he interrupted them. He didn't even consider how rude he must have come across – he just wanted to know what was going on with Ginny.

'Oh ... ah ... yes, Mr. Potter" Healer Redden said in a mono-toned voice.

"What's going on? How's Ginny? What else is wrong?"He anxiously asked.

"Well, the tests we conducted earlier have told us a few things about your wife's condition"

"Well ... what are they?" Harry was growing impatient, _'Just tell me already'_, he thought angrily.

"Our normal counter-jinxes just do not seem to be having any effect on Ginny's condition and we're therefore having trouble treating her. We have two reasons for this; the first being we don't have any idea of the types of curses and jinxes she was hit with. Usually we would employ a certain amount of legilimency but either your wife has no memory of the attack or the curses and jinxes she was hit with have caused a barrier of sorts to have emerged in her mind to prevent us from trying to determine what actually happened to her"

Harry's mind was swimming. Not only had the bastards who had attacked Ginny hurt her physically, they had also meddled in her mind. Memories of his few disastrous Occlumency lessons with Snape back in his fifth year made him shudder as the thought that Ginny had probably face worse occurred to him.

"Okay ... well there must be something else you can do to determine that curses and jinxes she was hit with?" Harry couldn't believe that such an invasive procedure such as legilimency was the only avenue that healers could use to determine the extent of Ginny's condition.

"Well, there is. It involves administering a recollection draught and then using a series of complex charms it would allow us to discover every spell that has been used around her in the last forty-eight hours"

"Well then why haven't you done that already?" the procedure seemed simple enough to Harry.

"You're forgetting that I said there was a second reason as to why it was proving difficult to treat Ginny"

His frustration towards the healer was reaching dangerous heights. _'Just come out and say it! Why are you making this so difficult?'_

"Well, why is that?" he said, as calmly as he could.

"You see Mr. Potter; we cannot safely proceed and give Ginny the draught, without knowing how it will affect her."

"What do you mean affect her? I thought you said it works with those charms so you can tell the spells of whatever"

"Yes, normally, but this procedure has never been performed on someone who was pregnant."

"Wait ... what ... what did you just say?" Harry couldn't believe what the healer was saying. _'No ... Ginny's not ... she would have told me.'_

"Yes Mr. Potter your wife is pregnant, that is why Healer Odelle is here" he motioned to the short plump witch with the clipboard. She gave Harry a sympathetic smile. "She saw your wife two days before her attack, it appears Ginny had only just found out about her pregnancy."

'_Ginny ... pregnant?'_ They had of course talked about having children countless times before, but this ... this was for real. Before being able to even allow himself to be happy about this, a nasty thought had just occurred to him.

"Hang on ... is that why you haven't gone ahead with the other test? Because of the baby?"

"Yes. We have no way of knowing how the baby will be affect or whether it will be harmful to it. Healer Hayles (the frizzy haired black witch) and I have been discussing it"

"And? ... Will it hurt the baby?"

"We both believe that there is a high possibility that the draught is too powerful for the baby and will effectively poison the foetus, however we cannot be sure."

Harry's emotions have been running on high ever since he had gotten the news of Ginny, but he was quickly reaching breaking point. Ginny was lying close to death just behind the door a few metres away ... pregnant with their unborn child. Harry had no idea how he was supposed to be feeling.

"So ... er ... what do we do?" Harry began to ruffle his already messy hair like he always did when he was trying to figure out a solution to the impossible. "Is there anything else? What will happen to Gin and the baby if you can't do the test?"

"All of us have agreed that this test is the only means of finding a way to saving Ginny's life ... without knowing what she was hit with, we have no cannot possibly have a hope of reversing whatever she was hit with . But on the other hand, if we do proceed, the possibility that she will lose the baby is extremely high."

Healer Odelle took the pausing in Healer Redden's explanation as an opportunity to speak up.

"I know this is terribly awful, but you have to make a choice Mr. Potter. You have to decide whether you want to risk the life of your baby to save Ginny's ... or risk both their lived by doing nothing?"

From the moment he had heard that the test was almost fatal to the baby, he had feared that it might have to come down to this. How was he supposed to choose between his unborn child and his wife? Regardless of the fact that not five minutes ago he hadn't known about it, he already fiercely loved their child with every fibre of his being in much the same way as he loved Ginny. He had no idea how to choose between them. On one hand, if he chose not to go ahead with the procedure, he risked losing them both. He refused to live in a world where Ginny no longer existed. But on the other hand, if he chose to go ahead with the procedure, Ginny could lose the baby.

Could he live with himself if he was responsible for the death of their child? _'Ginny ... Baby ... Ginny ... Baby ... or both?'_


	3. Trials of Patience, Hope & Resilience

I know its been a while since I last updated, uni and life in general has been a little crazy  
>Some of the ideas of this chapter, in particular Hermione helping Harry out was thanks to SiriuslyAmazing ... thank you so much for prompting some of this scene :)<br>As always, I sadly do not own or are not affiliated with any of the characters of Harry Potter  
>Please review, I savor feeback :) xox<p>

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><p>It had been three short hours since Harry had found our Ginny was pregnant. Three hours since he had been given the worst ultimatum ... three hours since he had been asked to choose between his wife and their unborn child. Harry had spent the better part of these three hours sitting at Ginny's beside once again, his hand however not grasped onto hers, but lying protectively over her abdomen.<p>

Harry, before the war, had never thought about whether he wanted to have children or not ... he hadn't ever thought he would live long enough to even have the chance to marry Ginny, let alone have the chance to have children. Remarkably he had beaten the odds and survived and Harry had for the first time in his life been allowed the chance to dream of a possible future where Ginny and he would have a few red-headed green eyed babies. The day he had married her, this future that Harry had secretly desired started to become a very possible reality. Harry had dreamed of the day that Ginny would tell him that they were expecting, and make Harry feel like the luckiest wizard in the world.

This however, was not how he had pictured it. Ginny was supposed to be ecstatically happy, eagerly awaiting the arrival of their child. Harry was supposed to be the devoted husband, caring for Ginny and being at her beck-and-call when she suddenly craved rocky road ice-cream. Ginny was not meant to be here, fighting for her life, while their child barely clung to it. Harry was not meant to have to make the decision over which life was effectively more important and should be saved.

He had tried to think about it logically, trying to remember all the information and statistics that the healers had given him. But trying to separate his emotional feelings from what was the 'logical' answer was about as easy as convincing Luna that nargles didn't exist. It was near impossible for Harry to come up with any reason that would justify to himself the choosing of his unborn child over Ginny's life or vice versa. The argument of baby or Ginny circled continuously in his head, with no clear solution in sight.

Harry desperately needed to talk to someone about it as he feared that he would go mad with guilt about even considering one over the other, leading him to no sort of solution. He fell asleep lying next to Ginny with the plan of talking the situation over with the Weasley family and Hermione tomorrow and hopefully at the very least gauging everyone else's feelings about it, other than his own.

NnNnNnNnNn

Molly Weasley for as long as she could remember had always awoken at the crack of dawn regardless of whatever time she had gone to bed the previous evening. She supposed it had something to do with having had seven very lively children, the few peacefully hours before they woke the only real time she got to herself, in which she could do whatever she wanted and not because someone else was demanding it of her. Even though her children were now all grown and living off on their own now, Molly had still maintained her small ritual and this was how she had found herself to be pottering around the kitchen at just after six, preparing herself a cup of tea.

Ginny was still in the hospital, unchanged. Molly had begun to feel pathetically helpless. She had always found a way to heal and help all her children, but the way her only daughter had been attacked and was now hurt was way beyond her expertise. She had thought she had been done with worrying about her family being attacked or killed but she had obviously been wrong. Ginny was in a very serious condition and there was nothing she could do about it.

Her and Arthur would be going back to the hospital that day again to check up with her, hoping that Ginny would have improved if not for their sakes, but for her all but biological son, Harry. They had both tried to convince him yesterday to take a break and go home for a couple of hours and rest properly, but he had refused. Molly was beginning to seriously worry for her beloved son-in-law. The love and complete devotion he had for her daughter was fuelling his personal guilt about Ginny's attack and Molly feared the worse for him if something did happen to Ginny.

After Arthur had awoken and had a little breakfast and tea, the pair set off for St. Mungo's. Arthur had taken the day off yet again on the persistence of Kingsley himself, who had told Arthur that he was needed with his family more than at the Ministry.

They walked hand in hand to the lifts, before making it to the fourth level and then to Ginny's room.

They found Harry sitting in his usual chair next to her bed, staring unyieldingly at her, as if waiting for any change in Ginny that would indicated something else was wrong. Harry looked worse than he had the day before. The darkened bags under his eyes told them he had not slept again that night; his gaunt features also indicated he hadn't eaten also.

"Morning, Harry dear. How is she?" Mrs. Weasley asked thinking it was best not to comment on his lack of sleep and food just yet.

"Still the same", he replied in a dull tone.

"I thought the healers said they were going to run more tests" Mr. Weasley asked, trying like his wife to force Harry to talk.

"They did, last night."

"And, did they learn anything? Have they figured out what's wrong with her?" Mrs. Weasley hopefully asked, praying that her daughter might be closer to waking up.

"Yeah, they did. It's ... ah ... not – ", but Harry couldn't continue. He choked out his words before drawing his hands to his face, trying to muffle the sound of his sobs.

"Harry ... Harry what is it? What else is wrong with her ... come on my boy, tell us, we need to know" Normally Mr. Weasley would have tried to comfort Harry a little before pressing him for answers, but his concern for his daughter and the obvious nature of what Harry knew made him more anxious and made his desire for the information greater than his desire to make Harry feel better.

Harry tried to clear his throat as best he could, wiping some of the falling tears from his cheek.

"The healers have ... ah ... decided upon a procedure that they think will allow them to determine whatever curses and jinxes Gin was hit with so they can begin to find counter curses to help her"

Mrs. Weasley failed to see why this news had upset Harry. Surely a way for Ginny to recover should have been a good thing.

"So why haven't they done it yet? Wouldn't it be better to do it sooner rather than later?" Mrs. Weasley questioned, voicing her previous thoughts.

Harry's face drained of the little colour if had left as if Mrs. Weasley had asked the very question Harry did not want to have to answer.

"Ginny ... well ... they can't go ahead with it because the potion they have to administer could be harmful ... to ... the ... or ..."

"To the what, Harry?" Mr. Weasley prompted forcefully.

"To the baby ... Ginny's pregnant ... she only just found out before the attack" Harry slumped further down in his chair, trying desperately not to make eye contact with either Mr. or Mrs. Weasley.

"Ginny ... a baby ... Ginny's pregnant?" Mrs. Weasley didn't know whether to be overjoyed at the news of another grandchild of more worried than she already was. What had Harry meant by the healers saying it could be harmful to the baby?

"Harry, this 'procedure'" she began cautiously, "What exactly could happen to the baby?"

"They say that ... ah ... the draught may be too strong for the baby to handle .,. there is a high possibility that the baby ..." Harry started to choke up again, "... Ginny could lose the baby if the procedure goes ahead."

Mrs. Weasley for on the first time in her life was completely speechless. She couldn't believe that this was happening again to her family – that they were quite possibly going to lose another family member, or even two. She looked away from a distraught Harry for a minute to look at her beautiful daughter. It was hard to believe that she was now all grown up; grown up enough to be married, grown up enough to be starting her own family, but not grown up in Molly's opinion to already be losing a child. God, even Molly didn't think she was old enough to have already lost one.

"So ... ah ... what other options are there?" Mr. Weasley spoke for the first time since Harry had given them the news.

"Yes, Harry ... yes. There must be something else they can do, something else they can try!" Mrs Weasley asked frantically, not prepared to accept that this was their only option.

"No ... there's not. They've ... the healers ... have tried but if there's going to be any hope of saving Gin, this is the only way" Harry explained flatly, trying courageously to keep himself from falling apart completely.

"But ... the baby ... Harry ... god!" It seems Mr. Weasley had finally caught on to the enormity of the problem. He did not envy Harry in the least for the decision he was currently being faced with.

"Yeah, I basically have to choose ... Ginny or the baby ... either way I could lose one of them. What am I supposed to do? How the hell do I choose between them?" Harry looked up at the two people who have been like parents to him since he was twelve years old, pleading for them to give him the right answer.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley continued to stare back at him, Mrs. Weasley's eyes slowly staring to fill with tears, Mr. Weasley's arm now protectively around her shoulders. They were quite honestly lost as to what to say, what advice to give to Harry. Who were they to tell Harry what he should do?

"I ... er ... we ... we can't tell you what to do son", as much as Mr. Weasley wanted to tell Harry what he wanted him to do, he knew that this decision was no longer his to make. Harry was Ginny's husband and the father of her unborn child, only he had the right to make decisions concerning them.

"But ... Arthur ... what – "

"No, Molly we need to leave Harry alone, he needs time to think and make this decision himself" Mr. Weasley knew Molly desperately wanted to help Harry but the last thing Harry needed was the have the weight of Molly's expectations and wants influencing his already incredibly difficult decision.

"We'll leave you to it, come back later" Mr. Weasley said finally, laying a hand on Harry's shoulder briefly before kissing Ginny's forehead and leading Mrs. Weasley from the room.

'_Great'_. Harry had been secretly relying on Mrs. Weasley's lack of ability to keep her opinions to herself to help him decide. He knew that if anyone knew what it felt like to lose a child, it would be Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and he had been hoping they would have given him perhaps an ulterior outlook onto the situation. Harry was as lost as ever, being left once again alone, aimlessly fumbling around in the dark trying to find the right solution for the impossible problem. The one person that he wanted more than anything to help him make this decision was currently lying dead-like before him, making the significance of the problem even worse. _How was he going to choose?_

NnNnNnNnNn

"Harry ... Harry ... Har-ry ... HARRY!" Harry was being forcefully awoken by a pair of very impatient hands. He had every intention of continuing to shrug them off, until he briefly opened his eyes and saw who it was.

Standing inches away from him was none other than his best friend, Hermione Granger. He looked her over, noticing she also donned the same blackened bags under her eyes that he had. Ginny was Hermione's only close 'girl friend' and Harry could only imagine what this was doing to Hermione.

"Oh Harry, I'm so sorry! This is just ... horrible ... oh just horrible!" Hermione had never really been the one to burst into tears, maybe this had something to do with having had two guys as her best friends, but in this moment it looked as if Hermione was struggling to keep himself from doing just this.

Yeah ... ermm ... thanks. I 'spose the Weasley's told you did they?"

"This morning, called us all over. Ron ... he ah ... he couldn't come", Hermione said this last part with a little bit of what Harry thought was annoyance. Had Ron told Hermione about their fight?

"Oh ... well, they weren't much help with this. Just said it was up to me"

"Harry, I want to help. Tell me what you need."

"What I need Hermione, is for everyone to stop telling me that it's up to me to decided and tell me what I should do. I ... just ... can't make this decision by myself you know" Harry wiped away his tears and looked up at Hermione.

"Harry ... I don't know if I should ... really this should be – "

"Hermione, you are the most logical person I know and also my best friend. If anyone is going to be able to help me make the right decision, it's you. Please Hermione, you asked what I needed, this is what I need. I need at least one person to not be afraid to tell me what I should do."

Hermione, against all her better judgement could see that what Harry was saying was true. Her best friend needed her to help him make the impossible decision with him and if this was all Hermione could do to make her best friend feel a little better, she would do it,

"Okay then, tell me everything you know."

Harry spent the better half of the next hour explaining to Hermione in explicit detail every minute piece of information Harry had been given concerning Ginny's case. Hermione had conjured a quill and parchment and was hurriedly writing down everything Harry was saying, even levitating over Ginny's chart and reading it hungrily. When Harry was done, Hermione set to making what looked like a pros-and-cons list and didn't talk to him for another quarter of an hour. As much as Harry had wanted Hermione's help, he couldn't believe he was allowing her to make the decision of which life, his wife's or his child's would be allowed to live, based upon a list.

"Okay", Hermione spoke, dragging Harry from his deep-thoughts."I have listed everything you have told me down according to whether it will allow Ginny to live or the baby. Harry, I think you're problem is that you haven't even considered the possibility that you could save them both"

'_Save both?'_ Hermione was right, he had been so preoccupied and caught up in trying to come to terms with losing one or both them, that the outcome of them both surviving hadn't even crossed his mind.

"But ... Hermione, they said the draught would kill the baby, and the draught is the only thing that can save Ginny"

"Yes, but it would seem the healers didn't think to administer the draughter in smaller dosages over a longer period"

"Hermione ... that's ... ah ... how would that work exactly?"

"Well all potions have a certain threshold by which they can remain effective if not taken all at once. If the recollection draught was given to Ginny over say a day in two-hour increments, the baby's immune system would have enough time between dosages to repair any damage if a healing draught is also given. This way, Ginny can get the draught in enough time so that the forty-eight hour time period that the potion works in is kept and the baby is not harmed by it in the process" Hermione finished smiling, the same smile she had worn in school when she had finished an extremely difficult essay or answered a question in class.

"Hermione ... that's ... that's brilliant! How ... I ... er ... Thank You! Thank You!" Harry jumped from his chair, rushing over to where Hermione was sitting. He grasped her head in his hands and kissed her forehead.

"Yes ... well you know ... it was nothing" Hermione was blushing. In all the years she had been the one to come with the solutions to their various problems, she still remained ever modest when it came to accepting compliments and praise.

"I'll just go get the healers and you can explain it to them ... "Harry was chattering away excitedly, a new found hope lighting his entire being. After being in a completely mode of depression for the last two days, Hermione could not being to understand how her solution had brightened Harry's expectations concerning the outcome of this situation.

NnNnNnNnNn

After much deliberating with various different department heads, all the healers presiding over Ginny's case had decided that Hermione's revised method of administering the draught would decrease the chance of harm to the baby. They did however emphasis that they still could not guarantee the absolute safety of the foetus, but Harry felt that going from any chance of survival, to a slim possibility of harm was better far better than the alternative. He still didn't feel completely sure he wanted to risk their unborn child, but as Hermione had pointed out to him, this was the only logical solution where both Ginny and the baby might come out alive.

Later that night, it was decided that the first dosage of the recollection draught would be given to Ginny. All the healers (Healer Redden, Odelle and Hayles) had gathered at Ginny's bedside, each monitoring Ginny's stats and the baby's while the draught was being given. Ginny's and the baby's vitals would be monitored continuously throughout the two-hour wait period and then decisions would be made as to whether or not they would proceed with the next dosage.

Harry had been allowed to stay with Ginny while the procedure was taking place, after he had promised not to interfere and leave immediately if need he was asked to.

Harry held Ginny's hand firmly when the first of the draught was being pushed into her body through an IV drip. Normally pouring the potion through the patient's mouth would have been preferable but in this instance, the healers had opted for the muggle method that would ensure a slow, gradual introduction of the draught to Ginny's system to ensure the baby wouldn't be overrun by the toxicity of it.

Harry didn't think he breathed at all when the healers whispered between themselves a few minutes after the draught had been given. He had noticed Healer Odelle's ever present clipboard frantically flashing red and blue over Ginny's chart. _'No ... this was supposed to help her!'_ Harry thought fearing the worst.

"Umm ... Mr. Potter, Ginny hasn't responded in quite the manner we would have liked. We need your permission to put her into an induced coma to calm her heart down before we can proceed."

"Coma ... what ... why?"

"Everyone reacts to the potion differently. In Ginny's case it has caused her heart to go into a sort of overdrive, beating far faster than is normal or safe. This along with her degrading immune and nervous systems puts her at extreme risk of lasting heart damage. The good thing is this slows the time-frame of the potion, so we can extend the forty-eight hour time barrier to seventy-two hours, which gives us time to try and help Ginny's heart slow. I know it's a lot Mr. Potter, but we promise, we will do everything we can to save your wife and child"

'_A lot ... A lot?'_ A lot nowhere near covered the greatness of the situation. It felt as if every time they got to have a real chance at saving Ginny, something always kept getting in the way.

"Fine, do it. Do whatever you need to" Harry looked up at Ginny's face. She looked peaceful, almost sleeping. He gripped her hand tighter, his other hovering over her abdomen, willing with everything he had left that the two most important people in his world would pull through and that he was making the right decisions. _'I need you Gin ... more than you know.'_


	4. Revelations, More Questions & Vengeance

I know its been about a week, this chapter has actually been done for a couple of days, just getting around to posting it now, sorry!  
>I hope you like it, I'm loving the amazing reviews that I'm getting back for this, thank you so much to those of you who take the time to review, means a lot :)<br>As always, I sadly do not own or are not affiliated with any of the characters of Harry Potter  
>Please review, I love the feeback :) xox<p>

* * *

><p>"I wonder, if it was not I that you now answer to ... would the Potter girl still be alive?" the sneering of the loathing voice causing the men before him to cower in fear.<p>

"It ... it wasn't our ... we er ... there was a man ... we couldn't fini– "

"Stop!" the man raised his hand, "I do not wish to hear your pathetic attempts to justify your mistakes. The job I gave you was quite simple, kill the Potter girl or at least leave her as close to death as possible; yet you have not even managed to do this. She still lives and Potter remains unpunished for what he has done", He finished finally with pure hatred and resentment towards the subject he was speaking of.

"But ... we did ... she is still in St. Mungo's and ... and as far as our sources can tell, she's in an extremely bad way ... she might not even make it" the death eater who was known as Crawley spoke up, having been the bravest of them to speak up.

Lucius Malfoy walked out of the shadows of the dark, stingy room they were in, drawing himself up to his full, oppressing height, towering over Crawley.

"So ... Crawley, is it? You believe that without a doubt, no matter that she is the great Harry Potter's wife, honoured and celebrated war hero, that even with the most brilliant and learned healers most probably working tirelessly on her case, that she will still die as a result of your few potentially fatal curses?"

Crawley faulted under the pressure of being thrust under the spotlight by Malfoy. It seemed however, Malfoy was not prepared to allow Crawley to leave his question unanswered.

"Come now Crawley. You seemed to have had all the answers before."

"Well ... its ... we thought ... she was just ... it seemed ..." Crawley managed to stutter out.

"I do not care for what it seemed she was. Ginny Potter is very much alive, despite all my planning against her and you have the audacity to try and excuse your idiocy for failing to complete the task I so plainly gave you ... because it seemed to you she was dead?"

"Yes but Malfoy ... you have to understand ... this is Ginny Potter ... it's not as easy as you would–"

"No Crawley, I am don't hearing your excuses. When I gave you this task, you assured me without a doubt that you were up to it. I was clearly mistake to have trusted you and your cronies" Malfoy motioned to the two other men in the room, who had, up until this moment been trying to remain invisible to Malfoy's attacks and avoiding Crawley's eyes. When Malfoy did address them, they starred dumbly at one another, both looking as green as the other, as if they were about to throw up.

"Master ... we ... I assure you ... we can still do it ... just give us ... me ... another chance. I promise, we will not fail you this time"

Lucius sighed, turned and sat on the moulding, faded vine green armchair that was one of the only pieces of furniture in the room besides a rickety end table and a collapsed-in mud brown sofa. The last six years or so in Azkaban had not been particularly kind to him. Going from being accustomed to having a house-elf wait on him every second of every day, to being treated as if he was little more than a pile of dragon dung, had not even be the worst of what he had had to endure. But if nothing else, Lucius Malfoy was ever as cunning as his Slytherin house attributed and he had used his time to plan the ultimate revenge against Harry Potter.

'_Harry Potter'_, even the thought of his name began to send him into a sort of blind fury. This essentially untalented, arrogant, extremely cocky brat had caused him to lose everything; his dignity, his beloved Lord, his respected standing within wizarding society and his family. Ever since his sentence, neither Narcissa nor Draco had come to visit him and even when he was released a few months prior, a letter from Narcissa made it quite plain that he would have no further part in their lives. Harry Potter had all but completely ruined his life. Lucius had vowed long ago that he would make Harry Potter pay, if it was the last think he ever did.

Malfoy considered Crawley's proposition. He did not trust Crawley's ability enough to believe that he could attack the girl now, especially given that she was at St. Mungo's and most probably under heavy Auror guard not to mention Potter would most definitely not leave her side now. _'But ... maybe ... if I myself was to try, maybe not directly but guiding more closely ... maybe ... just maybe I could ...'_

"Crawley ... I am only going to get one more chance at this. If you so much as cause one thing to go wrong again, I will not hesitate to make you pay severely for it ..." Malfoy trailed off while the magnitude of the necessity to be successful sunk into Crawley. He knew that failure was not an option, unless he was prepared to face dire consequences.

"Yes sir ... Malfoy ... I promise ... I will not fail you this time:

"Your word no longer means anything to me, just prove it. We will plan everything down to the last detail. I will preside over everything this time; nothing will be left to chance. I will not accept failure this time" Malfoy ended on a deadly serious tone. His desire for success, fuelled by his unwavering need for revenge against Harry Potter, propelled his mind into thoughts of various plausible scenarios in which he could get the Potter girl and make Potter pay.

'_I will not fail again ... he will pay'_

NnNnNnNnNn

The Weasley family was very nearly at emotional breaking point. Having survived two wizarding wars, multiple deaths of friends and the lost of a loved one, it took a lot to shake the family to its very core. But having gone from hearing about Ginny having been attacked, to finding out she was pregnant and then learning she was so close to death, she needed to be put into an induced coma, had sent the family on an emotional rollercoaster ride that all wished desperately would just end already.

All the Weasley's had set up a sort of beside vigil by Ginny. Even Charlie had taken an indefinite period off from his work on the Dragon Reserve in Romania to come and be with his family.

Mrs. Weasley had not been able to stop quietly sobbing since Harry had given her the news about Ginny. Mr. Weasley had not spoken since, only conjuring up a straight-backed, hard wooden chair, which he had placed on the side of Ginny's bed that Harry didn't occupy and had sat himself down next to his daughter, not leaving her side since. The rest of the Weasley family; Bill, Fleur, Charlie, Percy, George, Ron and Hermione had taken it upon themselves to take it in shifts to either sit with their parents and Harry or bring food that was never eaten.

Harry, like Mr. Weasley, hadn't said one word since he had explained the progression of Ginny's condition. He had become quite inconsolable and no one even tried now to make him leave Ginny, knowing full well he never would now.

"You have to talk to him Ron!" Hermione hissed in a hushed tone outside Ginny's room the night after Ginny had been put into coma.

It was Ron and hers night to bring food, and after an hour of unsuccessful coaxing to try and get them to eat the Shepard's pie Ron had prepared, they had given up and had gone to sit outside the room for a while.

"No! It's his fault she's in here, he deserves to feel bad!"

"RONALD BILIUS WEALSEY!" Hermione all but yelled angrily at him, "You can really be one of the most arrogant, pigheaded prats can't you?"

"Hermione ... seriously he-"

"No. Harry is as much responsible for this as you or I. You know full well why Harry does what he does and you should know better than anyone that he is probably blaming himself more than you ever could"

"Good ... he should feel bad. If my sister dies, it'll be – "

"... the people who attacked hers fault. Honestly Ronald, Harry and Ginny have been together for nearly seven years, a blind man could see how much Harry loves and is devoted to Ginny. She is not just your little sister anymore. I know you are upset and scared about what will happen, but you have to stop blaming Harry. He needs you now, more than ever before. He's your best friend for Merlin's sake!"

Ron was taken aback by Hermione's rant-like speech. Deep down Ron knew it wasn't Harry's fault Ginny had been attacked, it had just been easier to blame Harry than to admit to himself how guilty he felt for not having been there again to protect her. Flashbacks of his second-year when he had learned she had been taken into the Chamber of Secrets caused the knot in his stomach to grow, as his own guilt and fear for his sister threatened to overwhelm him.

Ron sighed, "I know ... it's just ... she could die Hermione ... like Fred ... just gone ... I'm not ... I should have been there ... It just feel like I should have ..."

"Shh, I know, I know, but you couldn't have done anything Ron. I'm so sorry this is happening again" Hermione said soothingly before closing the gap between them and drawing Ron into a tight comforting hug, allowing him to sob quietly into her shoulder. It had taken months after the war for Ron to become comfortable enough to allow Hermione to see him like this.

After a while, Ron drew himself away from Hermione, wiping his face, trying to erase any evidence that he had in fact been crying.

"I'm just gonna go talk to him ... I need to apologise and you know ..." Ron shrugged away, scuffling his hair awkwardly as if to make it clear he didn't want Hermione to talk about what had just happened, or what he was about to go do.

Hermione understood, nodded and smile before releasing Ron from her grasp and allowing him to go back into Ginny's room.

Ron entered the room to find much the same scene as he and Hermione had left. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were snuggled together, sleeping, at Ginny's beside on an oversized comfy armchair that Mr. Weasley had obviously replaced the wooden one with. Harry was sitting straight backed on his respective wooden chair, as always, holding Ginny's hand and gazing hungrily at her. _'How could I have ever doubted Harry's intentions for her?' _Ron thought, mentally kicking himself.

Harry didn't look up as Ron approached him. _'This is gonna be harder than I thought ... made a real flubberworm's breakfast out of this haven't I?'_

"Ahem ... er ... Harry, do you think I could ... er ... talk to you for a sec?"

Harry hadn't appeared to have heard what he had said. Ron couldn't tell if it was Harry just ignoring him or that he was too lost in his thoughts to have noticed. Ron hoped it was the latter.

Ron put his hand on Harry's shoulder gently, trying to rouse him out of his thoughts. Harry jumped quickly, completely startled by Ron.

"What the ... oh, it's you" Harry said emotionlessly.

"Yeah ... er ... Harry, I need to er ... talk to you ... mind if we go outside?"

"What ... oh ... I er ... can't ... I can't leave her ... not again."

"She'll be okay for a few minutes ... Mum and Dad are here. You'll only be just outside, she'll be fine mate"

"I ... er don't know ... well I guess ... maybe ... just only for a few minutes then" Harry conceded when he caught the look Ron was giving him, He got up slowly, kissed Ginny's hand before laying it back down gently on the bed, then kissed her forehead before following Ron out of the room.

Once outside Ginny's room and having closed the door silently, Ron suddenly became rather nervous. He and Harry had had only a couple of major fights in the entire time that they had known each other, most of which he knew had been the result of his own personal insecurities and 'pigheadedness' as Hermione put it, yet this fight seemed to have been their worse and most serious. Ron only hoped Harry could forgive his moment of utter stupidity.

Harry looked anxious, constantly looked back at the door, looking as if he was a caged animal, trying to escape.

"Ah Harry ... look ... I er ... you know I didn't ... I mean, I'm sorry for what I said to you about ... you know ... Ginny. I wasn't your fault ... it's not your fault. I was being the biggest part, as always"

Harry's interest had seemed to be caught, as for the first time since leaving the room, he looked away from the door and at Ron. Harry looked surprised when Ron made eye contact with him for the first time since he had begun to speak, _'Oh Bloody Hell ... he's really angry ... really screwed things up haven't I!'_

"Ron ... no" Harry started "You were right. If it wasn't for me, Gin wouldn't be here. If she hadn't married me, she couldn't be in constant danger ... her and the baby ... they'd be safe ..."

'_Ever the self-blamer'_. "No, Harry. Nothing of what I said was anywhere close to being true, I know how much you love her ... even if I still find it a bit weird" Ron added, trying to lighten the mood a little, "Ginny loves you more than anything, she'd take on Death Eaters daily if it meant she could be with you, I know it."

"Ron ... but if she wasn't with me ... she wouldn't have to. She'd be – "

"She'd be miserably unhappy. Mate, you are the best thing that has ever happened to her, the one thing that makes her happier than she has ever been. Once she wakes up, she'd gonna say the exact same thing."

"But what if she doesn't wake you, Ron? I can't even ... I just ... I can't live without her now ..."

"God! You're about as depressing as a dementor aren't you." Even though Ron feared all the same things as Harry, he thought he at least owed it to his best friend to try and comfort him with some positive thinking. "Ginny has survived far worse, she's gonna make it, I know it:

Ron pulled Harry into an awkward sort of hug, which although Harry would never admit it, was exactly what he needed. As strong as Harry tried to appear, without having Ron at his side always made everything worse.

The pair broke apart, avoiding eye contact, both seemingly sightly embarrassed at their show of affection that had just occurred.

Ron cleared his throat "Ahem ... well, how about you go home for a couple of hours. I'll-"

"Ron, I can't ..."

"Stop, Harry. I'll stay with her, and I'll patronus you the very second something happens or anything changes. Seriously mate, don't want to scare Ginny back into coma when she sees you, do you?"

As much as Harry wanted to protest, Ron did have a point. He could only imagine what he looked like and smelt like for that matter. He couldn't even remember the last time he had showered. He could just go home, shower and come straight back, _'What's the worst that could happen in an hour?'_ The moment Harry thought this, he immediately cursed himself. If the last few days hadn't been lesson enough, an hour could change everything.

"I'll ... yeah, I guess I should ... I'll only be an hour I promise. And you swear you'll let me know the very second if anything happens ... I mean anything, no matter how small ..."

"Yes, Yes Harry I swear. Now go, the sooner you leave, the sooner you can come back"

Harry gave Ron a slight smile before going back into Ginny's room to say goodbye.

The healers had made it clear that anything Harry said to Ginny she probably wouldn't be able to hear but Harry felt as if talking to her made it seem as if she wasn't as gone as it felt she was.

"Hey Gin, I'm just gonna go shower and stuff ... although I know you love it when I look devilishly unclean and raggedy" Harry chuckled weakly.

"I'll be back okay, I promise. Don't go anywhere okay. You need to stay strong. I need you to stay strong ... for our son." Harry didn't know whether the baby was a boy or a girl, but he had the feeling since being told of Ginny's pregnancy that they were having a boy. It's wasn't something he could explain. He knew if Ginny had heard this, she would have laughed and made a joke about Harry harbouring some deep desire to build an all-Potter boy Quidditch team. Harry could just picture himself teaching his son to walk, fly a broom, teaching him to play Quidditch ... a son ... yes he would be happy with a son.

Harry lowered himself to Ginny's abdomen before whispering.

"Hiya baby ... son. Look after you mum okay. Although she'll most likely hit me for even saying this, she needs to be looked after more than she knows. I love you, Daddy will be back"

Harry placed a kiss on Ginny's stomach, caressing it lovingly. He went back up to Ginny's forehead, kissing her cheek.

"I'll be back soon, Gin. I love you, take care of our son" He whispered in her ear.

Before Harry could change his mind, he turned away from his wife and left her room. He gave Ron a quick nod, who had been waiting outside while Harry had said his goodbyes.

"She'll be right mate." Ron said before motioning to go back into the room.

Before he did however, Harry called out.

"Ron ... I'm sorr-thanks" Although Harry couldn't say it, Ron knew what he meant, the over a decade's worth of friendship that existed between the two more than enough to fill in all the things left unsaid.

"Don't mention it ... Now go, or I'll apparate you home myself. You kinda stick," Ron laughed, giving Harry a final smile and disappearing into Ginny's room.

NnNnNnNnNn

The Auror offices on the second level of the Ministry of Magic were deserted when Harry walked through them. He had tried to go back to his and Ginny's home in Godric's Hollow, but he had not been able to bring himself to open the kissing gate near their letterbox, let alone making it down the path that led to their front door and into the house. It didn't feel right returning there without Ginny. Harry knew he would have received a long and exhausting lecture from both Ron and no doubt Hermione if he returned to the hospital only fifteen minutes after he had left, so he had decided upon going back to the Auror Offices, using the showers they had on site that were usually used by field teams after they returned from day trips. This way, Harry could return to Ginny, showered, under the pretence he had gone home, and no one would be the wiser.

He had lost all sense of time while staying in the hospital and was surprised it was evening when he apparated to the Ministry. Walking through the Auror offices, the windows that overlooked some marketplace in the centre of London, allowed some scraps of light to enter, which had created eerie shadows throughout the corridor leading to the bathrooms. Harry walked through without a care; the things from his childhood had always been far more scarier than the dark or what 'might be lurking in the shadows'.

Once he made it to the bathrooms, he promptly turned the shower on, undressed and got in. He had charmed the water to be scorching hot; the warmth of the water soothed all his aching muscles that he had been ignoring the last few days. In here, he could almost forget for a moment that his wife was in St. Mungo's and he could just begin to fantasise about Ginny and him, together ... with their child, their son ... happy and alive.

After spending a guilty half an hour under the spray, Harry go out for the shower and summoned from his locker the spare clothes he kept there, banishing his dirty ones.

Once he was dried, fully clothed and somewhat freshened up, he left the bathroom and made his way towards the lifts with every intention of going straight back to St. Mungo's.

However, walking past the briefing room, he noticed on the blackboard that was used to write investigation details, a familiar name.

'GINNY POTTER' had been written neatly across the top, with various pieces of information scrawled under in as well as random pieces of parchment stuck clumsily around. It was obvious that the investigation into Ginny's attack was well underway.

Harry knew it went against all his better judgement to enter the room. As a young Auror in training, it had been drilled into him that he would under absolutely no circumstances be allowed to work on cases where there was a conflict of interest. Up until now, Harry had never been tempted but this ... now ... Ginny how she was ... he had to know.

Harry tapped the door in the precise way that would only allow Auror's to enter and made his way into the room, closing the door silently despite the fact that he already knew that there was no one else on that level to hear him.

He walked over to the blackboard, picking up the official case file on his way and sitting on top of the table, beginning to read all the notes, information, evidence and possible theories that had already began to be created for the case.

Harry was impressed but the amount of work that had been invested already into the case. Normally it took over a week to formally begin a full-blown investigation properly, but in the four or so days since Ginny's attack, theories of why, how and who had attacked her were already beginning to take plausible shape. Perhaps the nature of the attack and Ginny being who she was had prompted the speed of the investigation. Harry had always been averse to accepting special treatment due to who he was, but he couldn't say he opposed it right now, if he caught Ginny's attacker faster.

There was a nagging voice in Harry's head that was warning him to leave now and just go back to the hospital, but the other voice in Harry's head, the curious voice that had always gotten him in so much trouble when he was younger, was egging him on, urging him to read on and find out the suspects who were quite possibly responsible for Ginny now laying in a St. Mungo's hospital bed.

He knew he should have left before he had read it, but like it had always been with Harry, he simply couldn't help himself.

Reading down the list of suspects, he was mentally ticking or crossing them off his own list of who he had been suspecting. As he drew closer to the end of the list, not one of the names of various old Death Eater's or former Slytherin enemies or even the stalker Ginny had once had during her Harpy playing days seemed capable of almost murder. Harry was just about to close the file and just forget everything he had seen it, before the last name of the list jumped out at him.

_Lucius Malfoy_

_Ex-Death Eater  
>Sentenced to ten-years in Azkaban<br>Life –time Probation _

_Note; recently let out on parole on an account of good behaviour_

_Current whereabouts unknown_

_Suspect Possibility = HIGH_

Harry's blood began to boil as the anger he had harboured since Ginny's attack reached a new ferocity. Harry knew full well that a man as 'slimy-ingly' cunning and maliciously evil as Lucius Malfoy was more than capable of having planned and executed an attack against Ginny. Harry had played a primary part in convicting Malfoy after the war and causing him to lose everything. It wouldn't have surprised Harry in the least if the attack against Ginny had been a means of enacting some sort of revenge against him.

The guilt that now built in Harry as this new realisation solidified his fault in Ginny's attack was overshadowed by his determination and own personal desire for vengeance against Malfoy.

Slamming the case file down in anger Harry wished he could face Malfoy right then and there, _'I will get you for this Malfoy, you will forever dread the day you ever thought it was a good idea to mess with my family.' _


	5. Secrets, Hope & the Promise of Happiness

First and foremost I would like to apologies for the huge gap in between updates. Yes, its been over a year and i apologies profusely but hopefully you are all fans of the fic enough that I haven't driven you away :)

Secondly I'd like to dedicate this chapter to 'page-394-always1' for giving me the inspiration to start writing again. Its reviews from people such as this that are one of the primary motivators for me to keep coming back and writing, so thank you to everyone that has every stopped and taken the time to write a review - it means the world.

Ill try to update in the next week or so - I promise this time :P - and keep up my writing mojo

As always, I sadly do not own or are not affiliated with any of the characters of Harry Potter  
>Enjoy!<br>Please review, I love the feeback :) xox

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><p>The Auror offices were quiet that morning when Kingsley walked them. He enjoyed being the Minister for Magic immensely, the last seven years of having the top job had been extremely fulfilling and exciting, challenging him in ways being the Head Auror never had. But sometimes, just scarce moments, he wished he was younger than he was, back in the early days of his career, where catching dark wizards mattered more than a perfectly scripted speech or passing new laws for goblin rights. It was in these moments he took to the Auror offices, early enough in the morning so that he wouldn't run into anyone, just to reminisce, remember the days were things were just a little more black and white to him than they were today.<p>

What Kingsley hadn't expected was to find a certain promising Auror, asleep on the desk of the briefing room. It startled Kingsley a little to find Harry Potter, more concerned than annoyed at being interrupted from his very private morning ritual. Scattered around Harry was all the contents of the case file for the attack on Ginny: the crime scene information, leads, possible scenarios, probable suspects.

Kingsley sighed. He should have known Harry would eventually make his way here. Kingsley had known Harry since he'd been a scrawny 15-year-old. It was not in Harry's nature to just sit back and let others take up the slack when he thought himself responsible. Kingsley could only imagine the self-punishing Harry was putting himself under. He'd seen firsthand how Harry had felt after the war, how singularly responsible he felt for all the damage done. Ginny had been a big part as to why he was here today. Kingsley shuddered to think what would happen to the man he saw before him now, the one he had come to respect far more than 'The Boy Who Lived', if Ginny Potter was to die.

Harry began to stir. The sun was beginning to rise and rays of light began to stream through the briefing rooms. As consciousness began to bleed through, Harry knew it would only be a matter of moments before he would leave the dream his was having and be pulled into stark reality. He had been dreaming of his and Ginny's honeymoon. The first morning he woke up to a familiar face inches from his own. Harry had had to pinch himself to believe he was actually there, with Ginny. The absolute serenity and calmness he felt lying there with Ginny had been dream-like. In all his life he had never felt that absolute happiness. There had been sparring moments during his childhood with the Dursley's that he had felt safe, although these moments grew exponentially when he went to Hogwarts and found Ron and Hermione. But even then he had never felt this complete encompassing feeling of happiness and love. Ginny Weasley, well Potter now, completed him. In that moment, staring at Ginny while she still slept more peacefully than she had after the war, Harry knew that if any harm befell her, he would not survive. He wouldn't know how to.

What woke Harry up finally was the pain he noticed on the bridge of his nose. He must have fallen asleep reading the case file notes and hadn't taken off his glasses. As the last remnants of the dream fell away he wondered how had continued to sleep at all. His back was aching from hunching over and his neck was screaming in pain from having slept in the odd position. This part of getting older was not something Harry liked, especially when he was on long haul Auror assignments.

His blinked away the sleep in his eyes and was greeted by Kingsley sitting across the table. _Crap_.

'Mornin' Kingsley', Harry mumbled. He knew he was in trouble but Kingsley's face wasn't giving away anything that would tell him how much.

'Harry, how are you?' Kingsley's response was not what Harry was expecting.

'Imma 'right' Harry was over people asking him how he was. What did people expect his answer to be—of course he was not alright.

'Look Harry I know you aren't. You don't have to be the hero like you always are and pretend with me. We both know the reality of the situation.' Harry was glad for Kingsley's forwardness. He was sick of people stepping on eggshells around him the last few days.

'I just ... if I had ... how could I have let this happen?'

'Harry, c'mon my boy. This was far from your fault.'

'Kingsley! I'm not the family member of a civilian. I know the reality of these kinds of situations. Ginny was targeted because of me. These notes, the case file, it just proves it!'

'Ginny being targeted may possibly have been because she is connected to you but she is also a war hero in her own right. Every bad thing that happens to friends of Harry Potter isn't necessarily because of Harry Potter.'

Harry was finding what Kingsley was saying hard to believe. He couldn't help but think that he had been extremely selfish with Ginny. If he had pursued her, she would be safe, she wouldn't have to walk around with a target permanently painted on her forehead, a target Harry may as well have painted himself.

'Look Harry, you know the protocol better than anyone. You shouldn't even be in here.'

Harry knew this had been coming but the look on Kingsley's face told him there was more to what he was saying.

'I know you almost better than anyone and for that reason I'm going to allow you special access to the case—'

'Seriously Kingsley? Because I have a lot of ideas and I think—'

'No, not like that Harry, I know you Harry and I also know that you will stop at nothing to get whoever is responsible for attacking Ginny but you need to leave this to us'

'But you just said ...'

'I said you could have special access. You will be kept up-to-date with how the investigation is progressing and any new information that comes to light. But you will not under any circumstances actively engage with the investigation or—'

'But Kingsley you have to know that—'

'No Harry. I know that you would work tirelessly to bring down this assailant and for that reason I cannot let you. You know exactly why family members are not allowed to investigate crimes that involve family members. There are protocols for a reason, conflicts of interest—'

'But Kingsley!'

'Harry I know you. You won't sleep you, you won't give up until someone is in custody and what Ginny needs, what your family for that matter needs, is you to be with them. It is only because you are who you are that I am extending this privilege to you'

Kingsley was not a man to become outwardly angry but Harry knew when one should back off from him. Harry considered Kingsley's proposal. He had to admit it was more than what he had hoped for. Family members were not usually privy to every elicit detail of investigation and Harry knew that Kingsley was breaking a lot of rules and protocols to allow Harry this access. Besides, how was Harry to build his own investigation without all the information?

'Fine Kingsley, thank you, I'm sorry ...'

'Harry, you don't need to be sorry. This whole thing ... it's nothing short of tragic but she will prove through and you know we will not stop until we have found out who is behind all this.'

Harry nodded. The morning skies by this point were a bright golden, the windows almost hard to look out. It was just the kind of morning Ginny would have loved. Harry smirked for a second, imagining what Ginny would say about a day like this. She would complain it was criminal to have to work on a day like this and would rant throughout breakfast that should would much rather be flying around and playing Quidditch than proofreading next month's Harpies article. Harry pulled himself out of this quickly—thinking of Ginny hurt a little too much right now.

'I should be getting back to the hospital; I was only supposed to be gone for an hour.'

'Harry it'll be alright. Ginny's one of the strongest witches I know, she's gonna pull through.'

'Thanks Kingsley.'

'I'll be around later on to give you an update, okay.'

Harry smiled at Kingsley as best he could and exited to the briefing room and walked off towards to lifts that would talk him to the lobby and then on to the apparition point.

Harry knew he needed to get back to St. Mungos, he needed to see Ginny but something made he feel as if he was better off staying here, leading the search for her attacker. He didn't know how much more of seeing Ginny lying in that hospital bed. He needed her to get better.

* * *

><p>Arthur Weasley had been through a lot in his life. He had survived two wars. He had survived poverty. He had even survived the death of one of his children, the latter being the hardest of all the tribulations of his life. But seeing his only daughter fighting tirelessly for her life while he was helpless to do anything was definitely up there with the loss of Fred.<p>

Molly was being ever the rock she had always been throughout their marriage but Arthur didn't know how long he or she could keep this up. He was far too young to be losing another child and a grandchild. He and Molly were also concerned about Harry. Arthur has begun to see how much Harry had come to rely on Ginny over the course of their marriage. It wasn't a creepy reliance; it was something more Arthur had realised. It was like Harry now existed because of Ginny and Arthur knew above all else that Harry was as close to the perfect man for his daughter; a man who would go through hell and back to save his daughter. It was more than Arthur could have ever have hoped for in a son-in-law.

But Arthur had seen the change in Harry the past few days. He could see Ginny's condition wearing on Harry, almost as if when Ginny got worse, Harry did as well. Arthur knew that without Ginny, he would be losing a son again as well.

Heavy footsteps entering Ginny's room woke up Arthur from his thoughts. He looked over and saw Harry making his way over to the vacant chair on the other side of Ginny's bed. He looked like he had slept and showered, '_Well that's something at least_' Arthur thought, now if they could just get him to eat.

'Hiya son'

'Hey, how is she. The healers didn't say anything.'

'No change, son. But I guess for now that's a good thing', Arthur added trying to buck up Harry's spirits. The boy looked so deflated.

'Hmmm, I 'spose. Have you been here all night?'

'Yeah, Ron had to go help George out at the shop, something about summer stocks or something. Molly and I stayed'

'Thanks, I was only supposed to be an hour but I got caught up.'

'It's no trouble really Harry. Looks like you had a shower and a little sleep, that's good.'

'Yeah ...' Harry was beginning to tune out of the conversation as he began to survey Ginny. The numerous cuts and bruises she had had on her first night had begun to subside and the bandages that had covered her arms and legs had been removed. Someone could be fooled for thinking she was simply asleep, if only that were true.

The arrival of Healer Redden and Healer Odelle tore Harry's focus away from Ginny.

'Good Morning Harry, how are we doing this morning?

There was that question again, the question that continually baffled Harry.

'I'm fine. What is it? What's wrong with Ginny now?'

'Nothing as far as we can ascertain, the coma has helped Ginny's heart slow down to its normal pace. Healer Odelle and I thought you might like us to perform an ultrasound to check on the status of the baby.'

Harry's heart fluttered. He had spent so much time worrying and wondering if Ginny and the baby would pull through that he hadn't really processed the idea that he was know a father, that Ginny and he were having a baby.

'Ummm ... yeah, that would be good.'

He looked to Arthur and Molly, who had just been woken up. Arthur nodded and began to pull Molly from her chair (with much hesitation from Molly) and the led them out of the room. Harry knew it went against every fibre of Molly's motherly being to be left outside when something as important as her daughter's first ultrasound was happening. Arthur however was also wise enough to realise that this part of their daughters life, these first moments, now belonged to Harry and that Harry deserved some privacy in this moment to be with his wife.

Healer Redden positioned himself over Ginny's abdomen as Healer Odelle began to tap insistently at her ever present clipboard, the coloured flashing lights reflecting off her glasses.

'Now Harry, all we're going to do is cast a simple charm that will allow us to look into Ginny's uterus and see how the baby is doing. Healer Odelle here will monitor both Ginny and the baby's vitals to make sure that nothing we do is harming them, okay.'

'Okay', Harry grasped Ginny's hand. He didn't know whether he should feel ecstatically excited at seeing his baby for the first time or utterly saddened that Ginny wasn't conscious to experience it with him. It seemed ever since he had found out about the baby he was constantly battling his happiness at the news of their first child and completely numbed by the pain of his wife's present condition.

'Okay Harry, we're going to start okay' Healer Redden swept his wand in intricate motions over Ginny. On the fourth motion a fog-smoke began to arise from Ginny's abdomen. Harry gripped Ginny's hand harder, looking from Redden to Odelle looking for any indication that this wasn't what was supposed to be happening. Redden smiled.

'It's working, we should see something in a few moments'

Harry let out a breath he had been aware he had been holding. '_You're doing good baby'_ he thought, again wishing that Ginny was here with him to see this.

Almost as quickly as the fog had appeared it was becoming clearer as if someone has begun to blow it away. Harry was now looking at what he could only describe as one the muggle television sets the Dursley's had forbidden him from watching. It was hovering mid-air above Ginny and what he saw displayed made Harry's heart stop.

He could see it. He didn't know quite how to describe it; it looked more like a Bertie's Botts Every Flavoured Bean if anything but Harry could see little eyes and a pair of small arms and legs coming off of it. It was definitely a baby. His baby... their baby.

Harry could take the smile off his face. It was real, they were real.

'The baby looks good, doesn't seem as if the draught has had any damaging effect,' Healer Odelle said, continuing to tap at her clipboard, as if saying this more to herself than to anyone else.

Harry sighed in relief. Maybe just maybe they were going to be alright. For the first time since he had entered St. Mungo's and seen Ginny lying in the hospital bed, Harry actually believed she would wake up and that everything would turn out alright—for her and the baby.

'Ginny's also doing well. I 'd like to keep her in the coma for another couple of hours just to let her heart rest some more but then we can take her out and see how she goes. It looks like she might be okay Harry' Healer Redden was marking notes done on his own clipboard now.

'Would you like to know the sex of the baby, Harry before we leave her?' Healer Odelle said, placing her clipboard on the table besides Ginny's bed.

Harry didn't know if Ginny wanted to wait for the birth or not but Harry needed to know. He needed something to cling onto.

'Umm ... Yeah, that would be great.'

'Okay, hold on a second, let's see what we have here' Odelle had taken over Redden's position over Ginny and began to mutter under her breath incantations that Harry hadn't heard before.

The television screen that was displaying the baby was starting the glow, the baby in particular admitting a strange golden colour. Suddenly the glow around the baby changed colour, to blue.

'Congratulations Harry, you're having a boy!' Odelle smiled.

A boy ... he knew it. Ginny and he were going to have a son. Harry was actually going to be a father.

This was the happiest Harry had felt since hearing on Ginny's attack.


	6. Plans of Revenge & Awakenings

Well Christmas and family have gotten in the way this time to have finished this chapter when I wanted to but I have updated before the year was out, so thats a plus :)

As always, I sadly do not own or are not affiliated with any of the characters of Harry Potter

Enjoy!  
>Please review, it lets me know whether you love or hate what I am doing :) xox<p>

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><p>Lucius Malfoy could not help but feel like the peeling wallpaper that surrounding the dwelling he was now residing it. Like the peeling wallpaper, he was so far from the person he had once been that he was almost unrecognisable. It was a far cry from the luxuries of Malfoy Manor, the very manor that he was now barred from ever entering again. Living in poverty was not something Lucius Malfoy wore well. He had lived for the most of it, a life of affluence and wealth, one where he had never wanted for anything other than more power. Now it seemed he was lucky if the few cronies that he had picked up in Azkaban would continue to bow to his commands and actually be able to play out the task he so desperately needed to come to fruition. No matter the reason as to why they were following him, Lucius could only hope now that Crawley was up to the task that he had set for him. He could not afford for Crawley to derail his plan again. He could not fathom what he would do with himself if this was to not work in his favour. Getting revenge on Harry Potter was the only thing that was fuelling him now.<p>

Since taking over the planning of the next attack, Lucius was beginning to gain back a semblance of the person he had once been. Although he had done a lot of standing back in the shadows and taking orders, Lucius preferred being in charge. Pre-war Lucius had been a formidable figure, someone who people would sooner face a Hungarian Horntail than cross but now it seemed dragons were more favourable than him. He needed something to propel himself back into the public eye, _make them fear me again_. He needed power and a sure way to do that he figured was to show the wizarding public that not even Harry Potter could cross him and get away unscathed

'Sir ... Sir?!' A voice grunted out, a hand shaking him roughing from his thoughts. Crawley it seemed had returned.

'Ah, Crawley. You have returned, I do hope you have brought with you good news.'

'Well I 'spose that would depend on what point of view you chose to take it from.'

'Whatever do you mean Crawley?' Lucius was not in a mood to be toyed with.

'Sir ... she's still not woken, sir. Healers are hopeful but it's still not looking good. Word is Potter hasn't left her side.' Crawley stuttered out.

Lucius smirked. He couldn't help but feel slightly like his old self at the sight of Crawley cowering before him. There was a certain feeling of power one felt at the fear others had of you. Lucius had missed this. He wasn't certain how this news made him feel, but he was intrigued and was already beginning to wonder how he could use this to his advantage.

'And Crawley, what is it that the Healers are hopeful about?'

'She's been put into a coma to help her rest and give the Healer's time to assess and treat her injuries. They want to take her out of the coma tomorrow' Crawley looked extremely nervous, preferring to stare at the ground than directly at Lucius.

'And how exactly have you come about this information Crawley. I cannot imagine that the Healers themselves would have been so forthcoming with this information.' As much as this development excited Lucius, he could not afford the chance of hope if Crawley's information was false or misinformed.

'I have a ... friend, someone who like us is more partial to the old regime.'

As much as Lucius despised the very ground that Crawley walked on, he could not deny he had some use. It seemed Crawley was friends with one of last remaining members of an old wizarding family who, regardless of the last decade of peace and societal acceptance of all, yearned again for the days when prestige and power lay with those of the purest blood.

'That is ... interesting, very well done Crawley.' Lucius said with genuine admiration for Crawley. He couldn't believe his luck. If they could only now figure out a way to utilise this spy they now had in a manner that would allow him to finish off what he had intended to do.

'Thank you sir, Thank you. Will there be anything else?' Crawley had seemingly beginning to breathe again, relieved to have finally been able to do something right.

'Ah yes Crawley, you will help begin to plan how we will use this information to achieve our goal. We are going to kill Ginny Potter'

For the first time in many years, Lucius Malfoy was actually happy. Not even being released from Azkaban could compare to the elation he felt at the news he had just received.

_This is what will bring down Harry Potter._

NnNnNnNnNn

To anyone it would have appeared to be just a simple ring but to Harry it was one of his last physical remaining ties to his mother. It was a silver band encrusted with several diamonds with a round emerald set in the middle. Engraved in the inner ring were two simple words 'ever mine'. Harry had found it in the ruins of his parent's cottage in Godric Hollow. He had gone the summer after the war to clean it up and see what he could salvage. He had wanted to go alone but Ginny had insisted she would accompany him. She had said that it was because she didn't want him to have to do things like that alone anymore but Harry had gotten the distinct impression it was because she didn't want to be left out of things anymore.

Amongst the rubble, dust and remnants of a life he could barely remember, Ginny helped him finally come to peace with what he had lost all those years ago and that's when Harry knew. He couldn't be sure he hadn't felt it before but in those hours when Ginny so selflessly helped Harry through things he wasn't sure even Ron and Hermione could have helped him with, Harry knew quite certainly that he was in love with Ginevra Molly Weasley.

Harry couldn't think of anything better than his mother's engagement ring to present when he asked Ginny to marry him. Harry could take solstice in the fact that in some way they could be a part of this moment, regardless of the fact his parents would not be able to take part in any of his significant life milestones with Ginny,

Harry had been holding Ginny's hand in his for most of the night, playing around with her engagement ring and the wedding ring that now accompanied it. He hadn't thought of that day cleaning out his parent's cottage for a long time. He had been in love with Ginny for what seemed a lifetime, it seemed impossible to him that there had been a time when he simply hadn't known it.

He was beginning to feel the same about their unborn son. Even though it had been only a few days since finding out Ginny was pregnant, he couldn't imagine not having their son in their future. The only thing Harry needed now was for Ginny to wake up.

'How are they doing today love?' Molly Weasley had done her best to give Harry time with Ginny but there was only so much time a mother could give until she needed to see her daughter again.

'She's ... they're doing great.' Harry had to correct himself, smiling to himself as he was reminded again on his and Ginny's miracle.

'Good. Good.' Mrs Weasley wouldn't help but relax a little. The last few days had been trying enough and she thought it was high time the universe began to work in their favour.

'And the Healers said they'll be taking her out of a coma in a few hours. They says she's doing well and that the potion is doing its job', Harry grinned; it was the best news he had been able to give his mother-in-law since announcing Ginny was pregnant.

'Oh Harry dear, that is amazing news. And the baby, what about the baby? Will it be alright?'

'The healers are confident it won't harm him.'

'Him?', Mrs Weasley couldn't be sure she had heard him correctly.

'Him. We're having a boy, Molly, you're having a grandson', Harry didn't think his grin could get any bigger.

'A boy? You're having a boy. Oh Harry dear, oh ...' Mrs Weasley cut herself short to grab Harry into one of her infamous bone-crushing hugs. Mrs Weasley had been on the receiving end of a lot of these conversations but there was something about it being her own daughter's pregnancy, and now it would seem impending grandson, that made it all the more special. Ginny may not have been all the way back but Molly was beginning to feel as if everything was getting back on track.

NnNnNnNnNn

Harry had forgotten what it was like to sleep in something other than a mouldy old couch or the hard-backed chairs of St Mungo's. Molly had convinced him to go home for a couple of hours to rest properly before the healers attempted to take Ginny out of her coma. It had been easier this time to past the kissing gate to their Godric's Hollow cottage and make his way to the front door. He figured that it had something to do with Ginny's progression on the road of recovery. The last time he had attempted to go home, the likelihood that Ginny may never make it out of the coma had been higher than he had wished to believe.

He made his way up the stairs and began to make the familiar journey to their bedroom but before he made it he stopped. They had always used the room before him now as a guest bedroom but now Harry began to imagine a baby cot, a change table, a rocking chair by the window, the walls painted a shade of baby blue; perhaps a stag, a dog and a werewolf donning the walls. It was all too easy for Harry to imagine how their new baby would it into their lives.

His bed was more comfortable than he remembered. He hadn't meant to fall asleep, simply to sit down for a moment to untie his shoes but his overly-fatigued body had other plans and he was asleep in now time.

NnNnNnNnNn

Harry was awoken by a bird pecking at his window. It had been so long since he had slept in his own bed that he had almost forgotten about the bird that, Harry had swore on more than one occasion, hung around simply to be the pain of Harry's existence in the early hours of the morning. He smiled. Ginny always laughed at how annoyed Harry got when ranting about the bird. The sun was just beginning to pool through the window, making swirling shapes of light onto the bed spread. Harry couldn't help but feel as if the amazingly beautiful sight before him was a sign of a good day ahead.

He took his time in the shower that morning. He felt slightly guilty for not getting to the hospital sooner but he was savouring the first decent shower he had had since before he had left on his Auror mission. He also took his time selecting his clothes. He couldn't explain it but he was slightly nervous and giddy, almost the same feeling he had had when he had taken Ginny out on their first official date. This situation was almost the same; it would be the first time since before he had left on his Auror mission that he would be seeing Ginny, awake. Just the thought of seeing Ginny awake and well made his heart leap. Harry was aware of a small, niggling thought in the back of his head, maybe the voice of reason kept reminding Harry that things may not go the way he wanted them to today but he was choosing to ignore it.

After having a light breakfast and some tea, Harry exited his house, put up the usual house-protection wards and started for the apparition point. Something drew his attention, a rustling in the bushes but figuring it was a bird or the neighbours stray cat, Harry's thoughts began to fill with the St Mungo's reception and he promptly twisted into nothingness. Had he remained a moment longer, he would have seen a pair of extremely worn boots and short little bald man crawling out from under the foliage.

NnNnNnNnNn

'Wow Harry, you actually left the hospital! Are you feeling okay?'

'Ronald!' Hermione said sternly, slapping him on the arm. It seemed Ron could still be trusted to say something slightly inappropriate when it wasn't very appropriate to be cracking jokes.

The Weasleys, save Fleur who had had to stay at home with her and Bill's daughters Victoire and Dominique, Hermione and Harry were all huddled into Ginny's now very small, crowded room awaiting the healers to come and tell them if Ginny was going to be taken out of the coma that day.

'How long did they say they were going to be dear?' Mrs Weasley was trying to stay calm but being so out of control of something like this was not something she could easily do. Mrs Weasley could do a lot of things well, being patient was not one of them.

'Shhh, dear. They said they would be back once they had discussed it.' Mr Weasley put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

'They'll go through her chart and see how well she is doing and know that it would be best she is taken out of the coma. I mean her heart rate is strong and up and there is no reason they should—'

'Shhh dear.' Ron said in a slightly patronising manner, patting Hermione on the knee. Ron made inappropriate jokes in these kinds of situations, while it seemed these situations brought out the bookworm know-it-all Hermione.

Harry sat quietly by Ginny's bedside while all the chatter happened around him. Having been a part of the Weasley family for the most part of his life, Harry had figured out how to enjoy all the noise and bustle of the family without actually having to partake in it. This time however Harry's focus was completely on Ginny; the moving of her chest up and down, her eyes moving slightly under her eyelids every so often. Harry wondered if she could hear what was going on around on her; the small fight that had erupted between Ron and Hermione about what exactly was appropriate to say in certain situations, Percy talking Bill's ear off about the new policies being brought in at Gringotts, Mr and Mrs Weasley whispering anxiously between each other. Harry hoped she knew that above all they were all there for her, hoping the exact same thing, _Please be the day, please_.

'So, how are we all doing today?' Healer Redden made his way through the doorway and to Ginny's bedside, with a little difficulty as he tried to manoeuvre around various Weasley family members. He was followed by Healer Hayles, and Healer Odelle with her clipboard.

'Good. Good, how's everything? Will you be able to take her out of it today?' Harry was too impatient to observe the niceties. He felt he had waited long enough.

'Yes, we're going to reverse the coma slowly, monitor her and the baby's vitals and once she's completely out of the coma we'll be able to perform the charms we need to so we can determine how best to treat Ginny', Healer Hayles said quite clearly. Harry was taking her confidence as a good sign.

'Are you are sure she can handle that?' Mrs Weasley had been quiet for as long as she could have, Harry was actually surprised she hadn't piped in sooner.

'Yes, we're all confident she's recovered enough strength to handle this. If we're going to do this, we're going to have to do this now.' Healer Redden began to position himself across from Harry, while Healer Hayles and Healer Odelle stood aside him.

'It won't hurt her right?' It suddenly occurred to Harry that taking Ginny out of her coma, the very coma that was protecting her and letting her body rest, might actually put her in more pain. The healers hadn't said anything about how Ginny would feel as they took her out of it.

'Relax Mr Potter, we will be monitoring her closely and won't do anything that may put her in more pain or at a greater risk for injury. She's in good hands I can assure you.' Healer Odelle reached over the bed and patted Harry's hand that was holding Ginny's hand, smiling.

'Okay Mr Potter. We're ready now.' Healer Redden moved his wand in a figure of eight above Ginny's body, whispering incantations. The tip of the wand glowed white. Healer Odelle was tapping her clipboard, the frantic flashing of the red and blue that Harry had expected not emitting from it. Instead, a pale blue shone from it. Healer Hayles smiled.

Healer Redden stopped muttered something inaudible to Healer Hayles, who then nodded at Healer Odelle.

'What is it? She's okay right? The baby?' Harry asked frantically. Never had a room so filled with Weasleys ever been so quiet.

'Yes, Ginny's fine. The coma has done what we hoped it would, her heart is beating back in the normal range, the baby is doing fine and we know now what jinxes Ginny was hit with so we can begin countering them' Healer Hayles said.

The mood in the room suddenly lightened.

'So, can you do it? Begin countering them?' Mr Weasley asked.

'Yes, Healer Redden is now performing them. We'll do the necessary counter-jinxes and then reverse the coma. We should start seeing an improvement shortly'.

Healer Redden swept his wand in so many intricate movements that Harry was unable to keep track. Instead he began to focus on Ginny, squeezing her hand every so often, hopefully reminding her that he was still there, waiting for her. Healer Redden stopped, stood back and smiled at Harry, nodding towards Ginny's face.

Harry looked up at her face. The bruises that had been under her eyes were gone, the cuts she had had completely healed. Harry could now see the freckles he loved so much that smattered her nose clearly now. Her lips had regained their usual colour. All in all Ginny looked almost exactly like she normally did.

Then it changed, her face started to crinkle a little at the eyes, her nose twitched a little as if it were itching and she was trying to scratch it. Her eyelids began to move more frequently than Harry had noticed while she had been in a coma. It was the exact look Ginny always had on her face before she woke up. Harry stood up, bringing his face an inch for hers. She began to move her lips and finally her eyes slowly began to open revealing her beautiful, glistening brown eyes that Harry had missed.

'Hi' was all Ginny was able to choke out before smiling slightly.

Harry felt as if every part of his being was singing with absolute happiness. _She's awake! She's back!'_

'Hi', Harry's jaw began to hurt from how hard he was grinning.

Ginny was smiling back up at him as Harry leant in to kiss her chastely on the head. Just like that, his world had snapped back into focus.

NnNnNnNnNn

'Sir, I have some interesting news from my friend at St Mungo's.'

Lucius had not been expecting Crawley back so soon after sending him out on a recon-like mission to the Potter's cottage in Godric's Hollow. What was even more surprising was the fact that Lucius had told Crawley to only stake out the cottage, not take a trip to St Mungo's.

'It better be good Crawley for you to have left the post I had asked you to take up. Have you forgotten our agreement about you following my orders?'

'No, sir. But they contacted me with information they thought we would find useful so I thought I better hear it'

'I'll decide if it's important or not. Well come on then Crawley, what is it?'

'Ginny Potter is pregnant, sir.'

And Lucius had thought gaining a spy in St Mungo's had been intriguing. Lucius smiled his most devious smile. _Well, well, well. Another family member to take from Potter then_.


End file.
